Envelope opener



April 29, 1930. BOLL 1,756,113

ENvELoPE OPENER Filed Feb. 23, 1929 INVENTOR Zamafzo!! Patented Apr. 29, 1930 PATENT OFFICE LAMBERT BOLL, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

ENvELoPE OPENER Application led February 23, 1929. Serial No. 342,276.

This invention relates to envelope-openers, it being the general object of the invention to provide an improved construction of this character which is adapted to be embodied in a writing unit, such for instance as a pencil or a fountain pen, or which may be produced in the form of an attachment for such writing units.

An 'obj ect of the invention is the provision l0 of an envelope-opener consisting of a barrel having av slot therein through which the edge or' end of the envelope `to be opened may be inserted, and to associate with the slot simple adjustable retaining means whereby '15 the envelope may be held stationary with the barrel for theropening operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide within the barrel .in relation to the slot and envelope retainingmeans, a simple slide '20 element having a series of angularly disposed cutting members whereby to perform the opening operation, and still anotherobject is to so arrange these parts that the slide element can be conveniently operated by a simple thrust of the thumb or finger and that the thrust required for edecting` the opening operation will be of minimum amplitude. j Y

kA further objectis toprovide an arrangement of the foregoing character in which means are Vprovided for automatically repositioning the movable parts after each operation. l

Further objects and aspects of the invention will appear hereinafter. Y f vrlhe invention resides in' the features of construction and in the arrangement and 'combination of parts4 hereinafter described `and more particularly pointed out in the annexed claims: Y The invention will be best understood by referring to the accompanying drawing, forming a material part of this application, and in which Y Fig. 1 represents a side elevational view, partly in section, of my improved envelopeopener as it appears when embodied in a pencilY unit; f

Fig. 2 represents a lfragmentary sectional 50 elevation on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 represents an enlarged cross sectional view of the device in a forml in which the barrel may be adapted to receive a pencil or other writing unit therein;

Fig. 4 represents an enlarged fragmentary exterior view, showing a pencil unit entered in the barrel, and showing also the preferred mode for detachably connecting the thrusting cap to the barrel; y

Fig. 5 represents an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail, showing more clearly the construction of the slide element with its cut` ting members; and

Fig. 6 represents an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, showing a modified form of means by which to operate the slide element.

The preferred form of construction, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, comprises an elongated tubular body 10 in which is provided longitudinally thereof an envelope receiving slot 11 deined at opposite sides by converging inwardly directed envelope gripping means in the form of a pair of yielding iianges 12. It will be observed from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 3 that as a consequence of this construction an envelope as 13 may be entered along one end or edge between the gripping flanges 12 so as to be held thereby. Within the tubular body and longitudinally thereof there is disposed for thrusting movement a slide plate or element 14 having a longitudinal series of angularly disposed closely spaced cutting Vor shearing members 15. The thrust slide is herein represented as being operatively supported in vsuitable guides 16; and it will be observed that this slide is thus arranged in relatively close relation to the inner ends of the flanges 12 and in such position with respect thereto that the cutting members 15, which are herein represented as being of rectangular form in general, will come in a line closely adjacent the inner edges of said flanges 12, said rectangularly formed cutting members being angularly disposed with respect to said flanges and extending transversely to the planes in which they have converging adjustment.V The cutting members 15 are herein represented as being struck out of the material ofthe slide 14, although, if desired, they may be produced as separate parts and attached tothe slide. The slide 14 is produced from spring material and by prefer-v ence as herein shown it is made slightly conver, being bowed in a transverse direction toward Vthe flanges 12 so that the letter may be inserted betweenl said flanges withits edge in tight contact with or even pressed slightly into the cutting edges of the cutting members 15; and owing to the fact that `the slide is of a resilient character slightly bowed toward the flanges, the cutting members, after the edge of the letter has been pressed tightly thereagainst so as to subject the slide somewhat to tension, will be thrust into or further `into,ras'the case maybe, the edge of the envelope, upon the envelope being released by thehand when the tension slide will spring Y back to its norma'l'condition. i k'and as shown, the cutting members 15 are Preferably Vsharpened or produced so to have keen cutting edges.

v In the exemplilication shown in Figs. l, 2 and 4, the tubular body is shown as provided with a cap 17 which is mounted for thrusting Vmovement so -as to operate the slide.

The cap 17 is disclosed as having a flange 18 slidably surrounding the end portion of the tubular body and 'also as having across piece 18 which serves as a stop for limiting the application of the cap. As a meansfo'r'operatively'maintaining the cap to the ytubular body, I provide 'an 'angular slot 19 for the reception of 'a pin 20 suitably provided on the tubular body, saidV angular slot`19 communieating with an extension 21 adapted to permit the cap to be given'a thrusting movement while beingv retained in place on the iend of the tubulaibody. The slide 14v has an eX- tension 22 extending through the cross vpiece 18l soV as to be.- engaged by the outer Vend -23 of the cap, which outerend is preferably Y formed with a thumb 4or finger engaging out- Y ,wardly bowed portion 24. Impris'oned between 'the crosspiece 18and a vpin-25 applied tothe ex'te'nsion 22is a coiled spring 126 by which the slide and the 'cap are repositioned after each inthrust thereof by the thumb ori-finger, v

'In Fig. 6 I illustrate a modified form -of construction by which to thrust the slide. In this form offc'onstruction the tubular body is provided with 'a closedy end 27 having 'therein f a' transverse vopening' 28, vand through 'this io' "ening is' assed a art .'29 constitutin`V van 'ezitensionof the slide BO.L Y Atitsouter end the part29is`furnished with 'a knob-.'31 whereby conveniently to be thrust, and imprisoned between a pin 32 thereon vand the end 27 of the tubular body is a coil spring 83 by which to reposition the slide after each thrusting movement.

From what has been said, it will be understood that the envelope to be opened has its edge or end inserted between the gripping flanges 12, whereupon the envelope is thrust inwardly of the tubular body to force its edge into the cutting members. When thus enteredbetween the flanges, the envelope will be held stationary thereby for the cutting operation which is accomplished by applying the thumb or linger to the outside thrusting member and subjecting the same toy a quick inward movement. They tubular body 10 may comprise a metal holder for a `writing unit such as a lead pencil The tubular body, it is contemplated, may comprise the barrel of a fountain pen. The device may also be produced in the .form of an attachment as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, where the tubular bo'dyitself is illustrated as constituting a cap constructed forapplicati'on to a writing unit as a pencil k35. Where the tubular body is constructed to serve in the Ycapacity of a cap into which a pencil or the `like may be inserted, it is provided interiorly thereof with suitable spring cli-ps 36 which may be secured in place to the tubular body by rivets as 37 Vor yother suitable means. VVithinthe tubular body there may be as many of these spring clips as maybe necessary in` order properly to maintain the pencil or writingfunit thereinwhile allowing for the adjustment thereof. I Y

It will lbe Vapparent from the fore oing that I have produceda novel and usefu construction jof envelope-opener which embodies the features ofk advantage venumerated in the statement off inventionand the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described certain preferred embodiments thereof', it is to be understood that.

these are susceptible of modification in varibus details with-out departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

I claim:

' 1. An envelope-opener comprising a tubular body having .a slot therein extending longitudinally thereof through Vwhich to insert kan edge Vof the envelope, a slide operatively arranged withinY the body and provide'dfwith a series of inclined v cutting members closely adjacent the slot for shearing lvolf-the insertedle'dge of the envelope, and means forjoperating said slide. f y

i 2. An envelope-opener comprising a tubular vbodyv having a slot therein e'ztending `loii'gitudin'ally thereof through vwhich Vto rinsert an edge of the, envelope, a slide operatively arranged A"v'vithinf the body and provided with a series lof inclined cutting "mem- Vbers closely adjacent the slot for shearin offthe inserted edge of the envelope, an means associated with the body and operative `from without for operating said slide.

8. An envelope-opener comprising a tubular Y body having a slot therein extending longitudinally thereof through which to insert the envelope edge, a slide operatively arranged within the body and provided with a series of inclined cutting members closely adjacent the sl-ot, and a part on the slide which extends without the body, constituting means whereby to thrust the slide in a direction to cause the cutting members to shear olf the inserted envelope edge.

4. An envelope-opener comprising a tubular body having a slot therein extending longitudinally thereof through which to insert the envelope edge, a slide operatively arranged within the body and provided with a series'of inclined cutting members closely adjacent the slot, a movable part operative from without ythe body constituting means whereby to thrust the slide in a direction to causev the cutting members to shean off the inserted envelope edge, and means for automatically repositioning the slide after each thrusting operation.

5. vAn envelope-opener comprising a tubular body having a pair of converging inwardly directed` gripping members extending longitudinally thereof, said members being adapted to receive and retain an envelope end between them, a thrust slide operatively arranged within the body and having a part extending exteriorly thereof whereby to be thrust, and means carried by the slide adapted on the thrustingv movement thereof t0 shear oli the edge of the retained envelope end.

6. An envelope-opener comprising, in combination, a hollow elongated holder, a pair of converging inwardly directed gripping members extending longitudinally of the holder and adapted to receive and retain an envelope between them, a thrust slide operatively arranged within the holder, means carried by the slide in close relation to said gripping members adapted on the thrust movement of the slide to cut off the edge of vthe retained envelope, and push means operative'from without the holder for thrusting the slide.

7. An envelope-opener comprising in combination a hollow elongated holder, a pair of converging inwardly directed gripping members extending longitudinally of the holder and adapted to receive and retain an envelppe between them, a thrust slide operatively arranged within the holder, means carried by the slide in close relation to said gripping members, adapted on the thrust movement of the slide to cut 0E the edge of the retained envelope, and a push cap on the' holder adapted to engage and thrust the slide.

8. In a self-contained writing unit, consisting of an elongated holder for the unit, a pair of converging inwardly directed gripping members extending longitudinally of the holder and adapted to receive and retain T an envelope between them, a thrust element at one end of the holder, a slide within the holder arranged to be thrust by said thrust element, and shearing members on said slide angularly disposed with respect to said grip- 

